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Carnifex's Story Hour (Updated January 20th, "The Union")
- Thread starter Carnifex
- Start date
Carnifex
First Post
Burl: Tewlcroghen's Machinations
Burl hurries back to the Pendarme Residence through the dark streets of night-time Iril, being let in at a side-gate by a guard - who looks with alarm at the corpse of the elf that the necromancer is lugging along. He rushes into the mansion and down to Tewlcroghen's chamber; pausing only as he remembers the mans warning to always knock first.
He does so, and is answered with "Enter." Tewlcroghen's in.
He hurries in, puts down the corpse and relates the tale of what happened at the disease temple to his patron, asking if anything can be done for Irial (who he feels he owes much to). Tewlcroghen takes the journals and notes that Burl carried back and lets him keep the rest of the loot, even giving him another hundred gold, but he says nothing can be done for Irial. With thatm he sends Burl off to sleep for the remaining few hours of darkness.
The necromancer wakes with a great pain in his leg that forces him to hobble when he walks - the dire rats bite has become infected and he feels unwell. A quick read magic of the scrolls he has picked up reveals the third divine scroll to be augury, while the other two scrolls are arcane ones, bull's strength and comprehend languages.
After a hurried breakfast in the kitchens he heads back down to Tewlcroghen's chamber, finding the door open and within the man conversing to two tall, powerfully built men with gray-black skin, claws fierce features with sharp fangs - but they're still clearly of human origin in many ways. Tewlcroghen finishes speaking with the two, indicates Burl to do what he wants at the lab, and the visitors leave, towering menacingly over Burl and giving him intimidating looks.
Tewlcroghen meanwhile seems to enter a meditative trance as Burl sets to work using his alchemical skills to identify the potions he has accrued. It turns out they're both postions of cause disease, blinding sickness to be precise, and he is thankful he didn't drink enough to be affected when he sipped them previously.
Tentatively he asks the meditating Tewlcroghen if there's anything he can do for Burl's infection, and the man directs him to a vial on one of the shelves which won't cure it - but will help his body fight it off. Burl drinks the alchemical concotion, all apart from a tiny bit, which he attempts to use in the alchemical equipment to see if he can figure out what it's made up of. He fails, then tries to make an alchemical healing salve - working all day, then at the end finding he has made some useless goo.
Some poor alchemy rolls
With that he scavenges some alchemists fire and tindertwigs from the lab, and heads up to sleep. The next day, it seems the infection is in regression - the liquid he drank appears to be working.
Burl hurries back to the Pendarme Residence through the dark streets of night-time Iril, being let in at a side-gate by a guard - who looks with alarm at the corpse of the elf that the necromancer is lugging along. He rushes into the mansion and down to Tewlcroghen's chamber; pausing only as he remembers the mans warning to always knock first.
He does so, and is answered with "Enter." Tewlcroghen's in.
He hurries in, puts down the corpse and relates the tale of what happened at the disease temple to his patron, asking if anything can be done for Irial (who he feels he owes much to). Tewlcroghen takes the journals and notes that Burl carried back and lets him keep the rest of the loot, even giving him another hundred gold, but he says nothing can be done for Irial. With thatm he sends Burl off to sleep for the remaining few hours of darkness.
The necromancer wakes with a great pain in his leg that forces him to hobble when he walks - the dire rats bite has become infected and he feels unwell. A quick read magic of the scrolls he has picked up reveals the third divine scroll to be augury, while the other two scrolls are arcane ones, bull's strength and comprehend languages.
After a hurried breakfast in the kitchens he heads back down to Tewlcroghen's chamber, finding the door open and within the man conversing to two tall, powerfully built men with gray-black skin, claws fierce features with sharp fangs - but they're still clearly of human origin in many ways. Tewlcroghen finishes speaking with the two, indicates Burl to do what he wants at the lab, and the visitors leave, towering menacingly over Burl and giving him intimidating looks.
Tewlcroghen meanwhile seems to enter a meditative trance as Burl sets to work using his alchemical skills to identify the potions he has accrued. It turns out they're both postions of cause disease, blinding sickness to be precise, and he is thankful he didn't drink enough to be affected when he sipped them previously.
Tentatively he asks the meditating Tewlcroghen if there's anything he can do for Burl's infection, and the man directs him to a vial on one of the shelves which won't cure it - but will help his body fight it off. Burl drinks the alchemical concotion, all apart from a tiny bit, which he attempts to use in the alchemical equipment to see if he can figure out what it's made up of. He fails, then tries to make an alchemical healing salve - working all day, then at the end finding he has made some useless goo.
Some poor alchemy rolls
With that he scavenges some alchemists fire and tindertwigs from the lab, and heads up to sleep. The next day, it seems the infection is in regression - the liquid he drank appears to be working.
Meg'anna here. The insanely hard to play mute druid! All I have to say about her is that the posts take me ages to mull over, as I try to image what I would try to do if I could not convey my thoughts in words. Luckily, in this day and age, we have computers and we don't haveta worry about it! LOL Well anyways, I'd like to say that I am having a blast playing with all of you, including those which I haven't actually played with.
I've played with Ebri and Seb for well over a year now and I've been around Carnifex for nearly that long as well. As for the others, I've had the priviledge of playing with Mel in a few other games (the most memorable having myself as a haughty, self-hating paladin, and her as a gnomish priestess of Tymora. Oh the Flames!!!! LOL). As for the others I have seen Burl on the boards, though the others ellude me. I am very impressed with all of your writing skills and I feel pressured to produce a masterful writing everytime I post. Carnifex has made this an elite game, having those of the utmost ability present. I am humbled to be in the presence of such talent! Well I have rambled enough!
-Meg'anna
AKA Oak
I've played with Ebri and Seb for well over a year now and I've been around Carnifex for nearly that long as well. As for the others, I've had the priviledge of playing with Mel in a few other games (the most memorable having myself as a haughty, self-hating paladin, and her as a gnomish priestess of Tymora. Oh the Flames!!!! LOL). As for the others I have seen Burl on the boards, though the others ellude me. I am very impressed with all of your writing skills and I feel pressured to produce a masterful writing everytime I post. Carnifex has made this an elite game, having those of the utmost ability present. I am humbled to be in the presence of such talent! Well I have rambled enough!
-Meg'anna
AKA Oak
Carnifex
First Post
Of course, in my last update, I managed to miss out an important bit of conversation between Tewlcroghen and Burl, that was actually the reason I called it 'Tewlcroghen's Machinations' in the first place
When asking for treatment for his infection, Tewlcroghen had replied to Burl that he couldn't let him leave the residence to see a cleric or physician because intelligence reports indicated that several groups in the city might like to see Burl 'removed' one way or another - hence it was Tewlcroghen's plan to have a mercenary group hired to pre-empt these other groups and do a 'mock' removal, that would involve a staged ambush and Burl being taken out of the city to safety. After all, as yet he was of little use to Pendarme until he became more experienced and powerful, and he was serving no purpose cooped up in the residence; and by having him 'removed' it would take him out of danger.
When asking for treatment for his infection, Tewlcroghen had replied to Burl that he couldn't let him leave the residence to see a cleric or physician because intelligence reports indicated that several groups in the city might like to see Burl 'removed' one way or another - hence it was Tewlcroghen's plan to have a mercenary group hired to pre-empt these other groups and do a 'mock' removal, that would involve a staged ambush and Burl being taken out of the city to safety. After all, as yet he was of little use to Pendarme until he became more experienced and powerful, and he was serving no purpose cooped up in the residence; and by having him 'removed' it would take him out of danger.
Carnifex
First Post
Wyshira and Kale:
With the surrender of their captain, the remaining corsairs quickly give in as well, and the sailors of the Dragon's Eye quickly bind them up and swarm over the pirate vessel to take the loot and goods before scuttling the ship.
The party is bandaged up by the ships surgeon - Wyshira being particularly scathing of the doctors srude and unhygenic methods - and then captain Marsans calls the four up onto the deck to congratulate them on their heroic fighting in defence of his ship. "Well, Ithought I was just getting some paying passengers with you lot, but you've done a great deal more than that for me today. You really swung the tide of the battle; I feel we owe you for your troubles and risks. A share of the gold we've captured from the corsairs," and with that the captain hands Wolf a bag of coins. "One hundred pieces of gold for each of you."
He turns and gestures to a pile of trinkets and objects that had been collected from the corsair vessel. "And your pick of a single object each from these things we salvaged from them. I feel you deserve ample rewards for your bravery - and you, young man, what an impressive show!" He claps Kale on the back. "Went through the accursed sea devils like a butcher!"
But Kale is somewhat caught up thinking over the battle - wondering whether the slaughter, the carnage, will ever become easier. Then he sets eyes on the pile of loot and it draws him out of his reverie.
There are many different objects in the pile before them. The two ornate, fang-barbed tridents the sahuagin captain had been wielding; the coral-inlaid breastplate armour of the sahuagin priest; three different golden goblets, embellished with elaborate designs of waves and with tiny glistening rubies in the shapes of blood drops on them; a small emerald on a silver chain; a golden signet ring with a silver dragon emblem on it; an elaborately crafted onyx ring; 3 small packets of some fragrant red spice; a single large packet of a strange orange spice that had a smell which could only be described as exhilarating; a small cloth bag with five little crystalline globes in it; a high quality cloth cloak of veridian green with some symbol unknown to any of the four sewed in golden thread on the back; a rapier of obvious high quality; the sahuagin priest's coral-inlaid light mace, again of high quality; five exsquisitely designed daggers; a small bronze buckler of excellent make; the corsair mage's spellbook; and a case of six scrolls that had been found in the wizard's cabin. Wyshira casts detect magic on the pile and finds that the onyx ring is radiating evocation magic, the strange orange spice is magical, the crystalline globes radiate divination, and of course the mages spellbook and scrolls are magic.
Wyshira takes the little globes - each about the size of a human eye and blue tinted - while kale takes the onyx ring. Wolf picks one of the tridents as his choice, and Kaerval takes the scrolls.
But there's something else too - Kale realises the dragon signet ring is the emblem of the Irilson merchant family of Pendarme. Kale's own disapproving family, the Amegrion's, are an affiliate house of the Irilsons, and Kale sees a possible opening for him here - he gets the captain to write him a letter of introduction to House Irilson, stating how he has hekped to get rid of piracy that threatened Irilian shipping. This will hopefully get him into the good books of his patrons without having to kowtow to his family, whom he sees as oppresive in their wishes to dictate his course of life to him.
Over the next few days of uneventful travel, they heal up, Wyshira using her divine healing spells to bring them back to fighting status again. Wolf elaborates a bit on the job awaiting them in Iril - plucking a wizard that a noble house had captured, out of its grasp and to safety out of the city.
They also do some experimentation with the magic items they've acquired. Wyshira comments about Kale's blade that it might have been made by tritons, goodly sea spirits, as a weapon to fight evil sea-dwellers, hence its effectiveness against the sahuagin. Kale tries on the onyx ring, and finds that it seems to draw any nearby shadows around him, slightly blurring his form and making him harder to make out. If he retreats into an area of greater darkness, the effect is heightened as more shadows slip around him. Conversely, the more light there is, the less effective it is.
Both Wyshira and Kale are a bit disturbed by this shadow-ring - but Kale looks at it as a counter-balance with the goodly nature of his brine blade - he is a mercenary, caught between the struggle of good and evil and hopefully dominated by neither. Wyshira is just spooked out by it. She's unable to work out what to do with the crystalline globes but Kaerval comments that they're very light for their size, and probably hollow - thus it might be necessary to crush them to utilise them.
At the end of the long voyage south, the ship enters the crescent-shaped harbour of Iril in the extreme early hours of the morning, and they set down on dock by a decrepit, rusty ironclad ship seemingly populated with rag-clad, hunched figures. Once on the docks, Wolf announces he is off to finalise arrangements for their mercenary work here, while Wyshira heads off to the city's temple to Ishrak and Kaerval heads for the renowned Opera House of Iril. They arrange to meet in an inn called the Mirrorscales later on that day - a place Kale has been before. Iril is home ground for the young man, his family being Corinthian and affiliated to the Irilsons.
Once they're alone, Kale insists Wolf takes him with him: "I'm coming with you. I think it's time, I need to learn, and anyone willing to tolerate your presence shouldn't have too much of a problem with me." Kale ends on a slighly humorous note, hoping that his insisting demeanor will solve problems, not cause any. More than any other place, Kale feels connected and therefore a little threatened by Iril. 'It's time I walk into jobs with my eyes open,' Kale thinks as he regards Wolf's stone gaze.
Wolf pauses for a moment before responding cryptically. "As you wish. But don't expect me to explain everything you're going to see, because there are some things that I'm not allowed to explain to you. Not yet, anyway."
It'll be easier if I just cut-and-paste in the next few sections of posting...
Down a street here, along there, up the lane there... Wolf seemed to know his way around the Waterfront Quarter of Iril very well for a Cryosian. The district was beginning to awaken into activity now, but Wolf ignored it all, apparently following some mental map with a good idea of where he was going.
Here the buildings were all tall, many storys high which leaned out over the narrow streets to increase the gloom. The occasional tavern or shop sign creaked over the entrance to one or another decrepit building, and it was into one of these that Wolf stepped - the sign above anouncing it to be an 'Alchymist'.
Within was even darker than without; the smell was musty and chemical, dark shelves covered with odd bottles and strange objects. Thick cloth drapes
hung down off the walls, and the entrance into the back was covered with beaded strings that allowed easy passage but prevented vision through.
As the mercenaries stepped in, a rusty bell attached to the door jingled and a hoarse voice from out back called "I'm a'comin', sod it, what're people wantin' this time of the day?" the question at the end more of an irritable muttering to the speaker than a direct request for information from the two men. Kale had a few moments to look around better and see just how bizarre this place really was - racks of odd vials full of strange liquids, marked with labels such
as 'antitoxin - very effective against snake bites', or 'antibiotic - use for blinding sickness treatment', or even 'concentrated sulphuric acid - useful in bio-chymical reaction methods or for heat gyneration in machinery'.
Then the shopkeeper came through.
In the dark it was hard to make him out - a hunched figure, yet still very tall, covered in long, dark and tatty robes with some sort of large... well, thing on his back. The head...
The shopkeepers features were not human at all, but avian. A long, vicious beak led back to the fierce eagle eyes of someone who definitely was not a man, though only a few feathers clung to his mangy skin. The long, spindly arms that protruded from the robes and folded in front of the bird-man were tipped with jagged claws. The 'thing' on his back was the folded wings, also tatty and lacking many feathers.
The bird-man looked decrepit and unhealthy but at the same time strangely menacing and powerful, all rolled into one enigma. It eyed Wolf curiously.
The mercenary rolled up one sleeve and showed the bird-man a tattoo on his arm - something Kale had seen before but never commented on. It was a sword, inked in azure blue.
The bird-man nodded, cackled, and showed his palm to the two men - on which was tattooed an identical image. "It's still me, Wolf, and good ta see it's still you too," it sputtered.
"Yeah, well, I'm surprised you haven't keeled over yet, you mangy old crow."
"Still a few thousand years left in this old bird, just you remember that; I'll outlast all of you mortals in the Blades, heh."
"Only because we got your arse out of the fire previously, otherwise you'd be some devil's dinner by now. I wonder if they like roast chicken in hell?"
"Gah, nice to see you haven't cheered up any. Who's this; new blood?"
The bird-man reached out and prodded Kale with one spindly claw - the simple push had considerable strength behind it though, not the kind of might Kale would expect from a sickly old avian creature.
"Maybe - that's Kale. He's with me."
The player's reply post (amusingly titled - Vyagra - Good for the Homelyfe
Streets and alleys and storefront signs. Alchymist... Wolf knew his way around Iril a lot better than Kale. Turning up here could be of additional advantage- there were a few alchemecal concoctions Kale was hoping to obtain, and this seemed just the place. 'But business first.' They entered an old dusty shop, announced by the obligatory jingly bell. Equally obligatory, it seemed were the muttered complaints reserved for customers who choose to visit at such early hours. Kale followed the model to imagine a portly old man come out to help the two. Instead, he saw a spindly... bird man? who had a look that made troublemakers think twice. Acids, liquids, cures, 'snake oil,' and a bird man, an old friend of Wolf's apparently. Kale watched with straight face at the truly unusual exchange between them. Sword tattoos, thousands of years, 'Blades', talks of old times... "Who's this? New blood?" and Kale jerked, surprised that he was noticed. Jerked again, surprised by the thing's poke.
"Maybe- that's Kale. He's with me." Kale simply nodded, mind wandering about what in the world that 'maybe' entailed...
At this point the bird man seems to weave a couple of spells and his eyes gleam with magic as he peers at the young man - mentioning afterwards that they seem to have 'quite the well-intentioned young man here.' He also notes that Kale is interested in his stock, and the young mercenary kicks himself for being so obvious.
My next post:
The avian cackled, swinging its head back to focus on Wolf again as the mercenary smiled faintly. "So what's up, Garadas? Anything I should know about?"
The avian gestured to Kale. "Not much while he's standing around, but a few things I'll tell you later."
"And that job I was told about in Jormungand?"
"Eh, yes, I'd heard from Tobias you'd showed up in that place and been asking around. Well, short of it is that orcs've been raiding out of the Khaya-Dan mountains and torching villages - anyway, seems they've got aid above and beyond a few big sticks. Human wizards helping them or somesuch."
"Pendarme got in on the act quickest and found a survivor in one village - a wizard. No-one knows whether he's one of the humans aiding the orcs or just a poor bloody innocent sod who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Anyway, Pendarme have him and are planning to question him under clerical supervision at the temple of Solanthar. Now, thing is, there are plenty of people hunting around at the moment who want the wizard out of the picture. Seems there's someone wanting to have him killed off, and a few merchant houses who reckon his disappearance might be a big embarrassment for Pendarme. So's we hooked up with some employer who just wants the wizard taken the hell out of Iril but not actually harmed."
"Anyway, good chance for us. We can get hold of the wizard for ourselves and find out from him a bit more about what's going on in the Khaya-Dan. When they take him over to the temple, just ambush them and get the man out of there - he should be pretty willing to come along. No need to kill any of the guards though. You're working for that Truth Seeker in Naseria after this, aren't you? Well, since you'll be wanting to move promptly after this little job to let things die down for a bit, then just send whatever you find out back to us from over there; you know the people there, after all, don't you?" Wolf nodded.
"Anyway, the wizard's being taken to the temple tomorrow evening, I think it's something like six or eight Pendarme guards with him. Shouldn't be
a problem for you. Get him, get out. Like I said, no need to kill any of the poor sods either."
The avian paused for a moment, runnong over what he had just said. "Sounds like everything, I think - oh, pay, of course. The employer's putting up a hundred gold for each of you for this."
"Any idea who's the employer?"
"Yeah, some minor merchant family I think, probably hoping to get in the favour with their patron house by this. Doesn't matter anyway - we checked the guy out, he seemed genuine enough. All he knows is that some mercenaries are doing the job."
"Kaverail Kavas got their nose in this?"
"Don't think so. They seem pretty quiet at the moment."
Wolf paused in thought for a moment as the avian creature tpped its claws together.
"Okay, we're up to it I think. Consider it done - you'll hear from me when we make it to Naseria."
The avian creature gave an expression that Kale assumed was a grin, then swung its head back to peer at him with those fierce eyes again. "So, Kale, what're you wanting from my," he spread his spindly arms wide, a gesture taking in the whole shop, "humble abode?"
For a moment there, Kale thought the bird-man was going to finish by saying 'nest'...
With the surrender of their captain, the remaining corsairs quickly give in as well, and the sailors of the Dragon's Eye quickly bind them up and swarm over the pirate vessel to take the loot and goods before scuttling the ship.
The party is bandaged up by the ships surgeon - Wyshira being particularly scathing of the doctors srude and unhygenic methods - and then captain Marsans calls the four up onto the deck to congratulate them on their heroic fighting in defence of his ship. "Well, Ithought I was just getting some paying passengers with you lot, but you've done a great deal more than that for me today. You really swung the tide of the battle; I feel we owe you for your troubles and risks. A share of the gold we've captured from the corsairs," and with that the captain hands Wolf a bag of coins. "One hundred pieces of gold for each of you."
He turns and gestures to a pile of trinkets and objects that had been collected from the corsair vessel. "And your pick of a single object each from these things we salvaged from them. I feel you deserve ample rewards for your bravery - and you, young man, what an impressive show!" He claps Kale on the back. "Went through the accursed sea devils like a butcher!"
But Kale is somewhat caught up thinking over the battle - wondering whether the slaughter, the carnage, will ever become easier. Then he sets eyes on the pile of loot and it draws him out of his reverie.
There are many different objects in the pile before them. The two ornate, fang-barbed tridents the sahuagin captain had been wielding; the coral-inlaid breastplate armour of the sahuagin priest; three different golden goblets, embellished with elaborate designs of waves and with tiny glistening rubies in the shapes of blood drops on them; a small emerald on a silver chain; a golden signet ring with a silver dragon emblem on it; an elaborately crafted onyx ring; 3 small packets of some fragrant red spice; a single large packet of a strange orange spice that had a smell which could only be described as exhilarating; a small cloth bag with five little crystalline globes in it; a high quality cloth cloak of veridian green with some symbol unknown to any of the four sewed in golden thread on the back; a rapier of obvious high quality; the sahuagin priest's coral-inlaid light mace, again of high quality; five exsquisitely designed daggers; a small bronze buckler of excellent make; the corsair mage's spellbook; and a case of six scrolls that had been found in the wizard's cabin. Wyshira casts detect magic on the pile and finds that the onyx ring is radiating evocation magic, the strange orange spice is magical, the crystalline globes radiate divination, and of course the mages spellbook and scrolls are magic.
Wyshira takes the little globes - each about the size of a human eye and blue tinted - while kale takes the onyx ring. Wolf picks one of the tridents as his choice, and Kaerval takes the scrolls.
But there's something else too - Kale realises the dragon signet ring is the emblem of the Irilson merchant family of Pendarme. Kale's own disapproving family, the Amegrion's, are an affiliate house of the Irilsons, and Kale sees a possible opening for him here - he gets the captain to write him a letter of introduction to House Irilson, stating how he has hekped to get rid of piracy that threatened Irilian shipping. This will hopefully get him into the good books of his patrons without having to kowtow to his family, whom he sees as oppresive in their wishes to dictate his course of life to him.
Over the next few days of uneventful travel, they heal up, Wyshira using her divine healing spells to bring them back to fighting status again. Wolf elaborates a bit on the job awaiting them in Iril - plucking a wizard that a noble house had captured, out of its grasp and to safety out of the city.
They also do some experimentation with the magic items they've acquired. Wyshira comments about Kale's blade that it might have been made by tritons, goodly sea spirits, as a weapon to fight evil sea-dwellers, hence its effectiveness against the sahuagin. Kale tries on the onyx ring, and finds that it seems to draw any nearby shadows around him, slightly blurring his form and making him harder to make out. If he retreats into an area of greater darkness, the effect is heightened as more shadows slip around him. Conversely, the more light there is, the less effective it is.
Both Wyshira and Kale are a bit disturbed by this shadow-ring - but Kale looks at it as a counter-balance with the goodly nature of his brine blade - he is a mercenary, caught between the struggle of good and evil and hopefully dominated by neither. Wyshira is just spooked out by it. She's unable to work out what to do with the crystalline globes but Kaerval comments that they're very light for their size, and probably hollow - thus it might be necessary to crush them to utilise them.
At the end of the long voyage south, the ship enters the crescent-shaped harbour of Iril in the extreme early hours of the morning, and they set down on dock by a decrepit, rusty ironclad ship seemingly populated with rag-clad, hunched figures. Once on the docks, Wolf announces he is off to finalise arrangements for their mercenary work here, while Wyshira heads off to the city's temple to Ishrak and Kaerval heads for the renowned Opera House of Iril. They arrange to meet in an inn called the Mirrorscales later on that day - a place Kale has been before. Iril is home ground for the young man, his family being Corinthian and affiliated to the Irilsons.
Once they're alone, Kale insists Wolf takes him with him: "I'm coming with you. I think it's time, I need to learn, and anyone willing to tolerate your presence shouldn't have too much of a problem with me." Kale ends on a slighly humorous note, hoping that his insisting demeanor will solve problems, not cause any. More than any other place, Kale feels connected and therefore a little threatened by Iril. 'It's time I walk into jobs with my eyes open,' Kale thinks as he regards Wolf's stone gaze.
Wolf pauses for a moment before responding cryptically. "As you wish. But don't expect me to explain everything you're going to see, because there are some things that I'm not allowed to explain to you. Not yet, anyway."
It'll be easier if I just cut-and-paste in the next few sections of posting...
Down a street here, along there, up the lane there... Wolf seemed to know his way around the Waterfront Quarter of Iril very well for a Cryosian. The district was beginning to awaken into activity now, but Wolf ignored it all, apparently following some mental map with a good idea of where he was going.
Here the buildings were all tall, many storys high which leaned out over the narrow streets to increase the gloom. The occasional tavern or shop sign creaked over the entrance to one or another decrepit building, and it was into one of these that Wolf stepped - the sign above anouncing it to be an 'Alchymist'.
Within was even darker than without; the smell was musty and chemical, dark shelves covered with odd bottles and strange objects. Thick cloth drapes
hung down off the walls, and the entrance into the back was covered with beaded strings that allowed easy passage but prevented vision through.
As the mercenaries stepped in, a rusty bell attached to the door jingled and a hoarse voice from out back called "I'm a'comin', sod it, what're people wantin' this time of the day?" the question at the end more of an irritable muttering to the speaker than a direct request for information from the two men. Kale had a few moments to look around better and see just how bizarre this place really was - racks of odd vials full of strange liquids, marked with labels such
as 'antitoxin - very effective against snake bites', or 'antibiotic - use for blinding sickness treatment', or even 'concentrated sulphuric acid - useful in bio-chymical reaction methods or for heat gyneration in machinery'.
Then the shopkeeper came through.
In the dark it was hard to make him out - a hunched figure, yet still very tall, covered in long, dark and tatty robes with some sort of large... well, thing on his back. The head...
The shopkeepers features were not human at all, but avian. A long, vicious beak led back to the fierce eagle eyes of someone who definitely was not a man, though only a few feathers clung to his mangy skin. The long, spindly arms that protruded from the robes and folded in front of the bird-man were tipped with jagged claws. The 'thing' on his back was the folded wings, also tatty and lacking many feathers.
The bird-man looked decrepit and unhealthy but at the same time strangely menacing and powerful, all rolled into one enigma. It eyed Wolf curiously.
The mercenary rolled up one sleeve and showed the bird-man a tattoo on his arm - something Kale had seen before but never commented on. It was a sword, inked in azure blue.
The bird-man nodded, cackled, and showed his palm to the two men - on which was tattooed an identical image. "It's still me, Wolf, and good ta see it's still you too," it sputtered.
"Yeah, well, I'm surprised you haven't keeled over yet, you mangy old crow."
"Still a few thousand years left in this old bird, just you remember that; I'll outlast all of you mortals in the Blades, heh."
"Only because we got your arse out of the fire previously, otherwise you'd be some devil's dinner by now. I wonder if they like roast chicken in hell?"
"Gah, nice to see you haven't cheered up any. Who's this; new blood?"
The bird-man reached out and prodded Kale with one spindly claw - the simple push had considerable strength behind it though, not the kind of might Kale would expect from a sickly old avian creature.
"Maybe - that's Kale. He's with me."
The player's reply post (amusingly titled - Vyagra - Good for the Homelyfe
Streets and alleys and storefront signs. Alchymist... Wolf knew his way around Iril a lot better than Kale. Turning up here could be of additional advantage- there were a few alchemecal concoctions Kale was hoping to obtain, and this seemed just the place. 'But business first.' They entered an old dusty shop, announced by the obligatory jingly bell. Equally obligatory, it seemed were the muttered complaints reserved for customers who choose to visit at such early hours. Kale followed the model to imagine a portly old man come out to help the two. Instead, he saw a spindly... bird man? who had a look that made troublemakers think twice. Acids, liquids, cures, 'snake oil,' and a bird man, an old friend of Wolf's apparently. Kale watched with straight face at the truly unusual exchange between them. Sword tattoos, thousands of years, 'Blades', talks of old times... "Who's this? New blood?" and Kale jerked, surprised that he was noticed. Jerked again, surprised by the thing's poke.
"Maybe- that's Kale. He's with me." Kale simply nodded, mind wandering about what in the world that 'maybe' entailed...
At this point the bird man seems to weave a couple of spells and his eyes gleam with magic as he peers at the young man - mentioning afterwards that they seem to have 'quite the well-intentioned young man here.' He also notes that Kale is interested in his stock, and the young mercenary kicks himself for being so obvious.
My next post:
The avian cackled, swinging its head back to focus on Wolf again as the mercenary smiled faintly. "So what's up, Garadas? Anything I should know about?"
The avian gestured to Kale. "Not much while he's standing around, but a few things I'll tell you later."
"And that job I was told about in Jormungand?"
"Eh, yes, I'd heard from Tobias you'd showed up in that place and been asking around. Well, short of it is that orcs've been raiding out of the Khaya-Dan mountains and torching villages - anyway, seems they've got aid above and beyond a few big sticks. Human wizards helping them or somesuch."
"Pendarme got in on the act quickest and found a survivor in one village - a wizard. No-one knows whether he's one of the humans aiding the orcs or just a poor bloody innocent sod who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Anyway, Pendarme have him and are planning to question him under clerical supervision at the temple of Solanthar. Now, thing is, there are plenty of people hunting around at the moment who want the wizard out of the picture. Seems there's someone wanting to have him killed off, and a few merchant houses who reckon his disappearance might be a big embarrassment for Pendarme. So's we hooked up with some employer who just wants the wizard taken the hell out of Iril but not actually harmed."
"Anyway, good chance for us. We can get hold of the wizard for ourselves and find out from him a bit more about what's going on in the Khaya-Dan. When they take him over to the temple, just ambush them and get the man out of there - he should be pretty willing to come along. No need to kill any of the guards though. You're working for that Truth Seeker in Naseria after this, aren't you? Well, since you'll be wanting to move promptly after this little job to let things die down for a bit, then just send whatever you find out back to us from over there; you know the people there, after all, don't you?" Wolf nodded.
"Anyway, the wizard's being taken to the temple tomorrow evening, I think it's something like six or eight Pendarme guards with him. Shouldn't be
a problem for you. Get him, get out. Like I said, no need to kill any of the poor sods either."
The avian paused for a moment, runnong over what he had just said. "Sounds like everything, I think - oh, pay, of course. The employer's putting up a hundred gold for each of you for this."
"Any idea who's the employer?"
"Yeah, some minor merchant family I think, probably hoping to get in the favour with their patron house by this. Doesn't matter anyway - we checked the guy out, he seemed genuine enough. All he knows is that some mercenaries are doing the job."
"Kaverail Kavas got their nose in this?"
"Don't think so. They seem pretty quiet at the moment."
Wolf paused in thought for a moment as the avian creature tpped its claws together.
"Okay, we're up to it I think. Consider it done - you'll hear from me when we make it to Naseria."
The avian creature gave an expression that Kale assumed was a grin, then swung its head back to peer at him with those fierce eyes again. "So, Kale, what're you wanting from my," he spread his spindly arms wide, a gesture taking in the whole shop, "humble abode?"
For a moment there, Kale thought the bird-man was going to finish by saying 'nest'...
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Easter
First Post
Hi guys,
Melisande here. Didn't check this board for a while and was impressed to find so many of you here. It's a party!
By the way, the "Grab your torch and pitchforks" was indeed a reference to Shrek. I just don't see ogres with same eye since then.
I continue to be amazed at the quality of the DM and the players in this game. It's too great. What a privilege to be among you--and to think I almost didn't make it, being the eighth player accepted... Anybody know what Carnifex decided on the 9th guy?
Hey Oak, you're doing great with Meg'anna. There is so much room for mischief with her spontaneous signing that I can't help myself at moments... This should be great fun... But just holler if I get annoying.
Anybody else think there may be a connection with what Garadras the Planesurfing Bird-Man said about umbramancy and the shadow-demon that gave Melisande that "gift"? And what Sandslipper is carrying and those spider-things? Just curious if you have any thoughts...
Melisande here. Didn't check this board for a while and was impressed to find so many of you here. It's a party!
By the way, the "Grab your torch and pitchforks" was indeed a reference to Shrek. I just don't see ogres with same eye since then.
I continue to be amazed at the quality of the DM and the players in this game. It's too great. What a privilege to be among you--and to think I almost didn't make it, being the eighth player accepted...
Anybody know what Carnifex decided on the 9th guy?Hey Oak, you're doing great with Meg'anna. There is so much room for mischief with her spontaneous signing that I can't help myself at moments... This should be great fun... But just holler if I get annoying.
Anybody else think there may be a connection with what Garadras the Planesurfing Bird-Man said about umbramancy and the shadow-demon that gave Melisande that "gift"? And what Sandslipper is carrying and those spider-things? Just curious if you have any thoughts...
Dark Raven
First Post
Carnifex has a lot on his plate with quite a few characters and threads to juggle. Unfortunately for me, I discovered roleplayinggames.net too late to join his campaign when it first started up. I respect his skills as a writer and as a DM and completely understand that he's overloaded at the moment so he's decided not to take on a ninth player.
Maybe later on once he has everyone grouped together into one manageable thread, he can include me and my character. For now though I'm enjoying just reading everyone's posts. I do hope I get the chance to join you all at a later date. Keep up the good work.
- Raven (the hopeful 9th)
Maybe later on once he has everyone grouped together into one manageable thread, he can include me and my character. For now though I'm enjoying just reading everyone's posts. I do hope I get the chance to join you all at a later date. Keep up the good work.
- Raven (the hopeful 9th)
To Easter:
I try not to think too much about the other threads, because it is sometimes hard for me to separate what I know from what my character knows. I have been reading them though, mainly because I really enjoy them! And I also don't want to miss anything important about the other characters that Wyshira ought to know someday. (I mean things like obvious character traits.)
But, now that you mention the shadow connections, hmmmmm.......
I try not to think too much about the other threads, because it is sometimes hard for me to separate what I know from what my character knows. I have been reading them though, mainly because I really enjoy them! And I also don't want to miss anything important about the other characters that Wyshira ought to know someday. (I mean things like obvious character traits.)
But, now that you mention the shadow connections, hmmmmm.......
Easter
First Post
Wyshira,
Very true--it's a constant challenge to keep oneself rooted in the mind of a character when posting, and discussing things OOC would probably make it infinitely more difficult, but sometimes I get overexcited about these mysterious connections....
By the way, when re-reading the character descriptions I noticed that Wyshira is only 5 feet tall--I was imagining her a little taller in that battle with the Sahuagin! Keeping in mind that Princess Leia wasn't any taller but was one tough cookie, of course.
Dark Raven--glad to have heard from you. All I know is Carnifex was impressed with your application...
Hope to see you on the boards soon--whether in this game or another one.
Very true--it's a constant challenge to keep oneself rooted in the mind of a character when posting, and discussing things OOC would probably make it infinitely more difficult, but sometimes I get overexcited about these mysterious connections....
By the way, when re-reading the character descriptions I noticed that Wyshira is only 5 feet tall--I was imagining her a little taller in that battle with the Sahuagin! Keeping in mind that Princess Leia wasn't any taller but was one tough cookie, of course.
Dark Raven--glad to have heard from you. All I know is Carnifex was impressed with your application...
Hope to see you on the boards soon--whether in this game or another one.
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